Set in the Dominican Republic,
Sand Dollars () exposes the harsh realities of tourism in the Caribbean, with specific attention to the rise of
sex tourism and its connections to global economic inequality.
Tourism in the Dominican Republic has functioned as a continuation of colonial relationships, where instead of an exchange of labor and land, there is a circulation of bodies. In this way, tourism is understood not only as an economic activity, but a form of
neocolonial exchange that is shaped by disparities between tourists and locals. The cultural concept of
transactional intimacy is central to understanding the relationship of Anne and Noelí. Rather than their relationship existing as purely romantic or economic, it exists in a space where affection, dependency, and financial exchange intersect. This reflects broader structures of inequality in the Caribbean, where race, class, gender, and nationality influence who has power and who is left vulnerable. The film also engages with cultural aspects like dance, particularly the
bachata, as a historically embedded form of communication. Rather than serving as a form of mindless entertainment, dance is used as a symbol of language through which intimacy and power are expressed. Key scenes involves bachata reflect deeper cultural histories tied to tourism, power, class, social standing, and identity in the Dominican Republic. Together, these elements situate
Sand Dollars within a context of neocolonial economic, where tourism, particularly sex tourism, reshapes hierarchies into new forms of economic and emotional exchange
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